TFC leaves little Impact on playoffs
Toronto FC’s first-ever post-season game ends with whimper as Montreal dominates from start to finish
MONTREAL— Ninety-two minutes.
That’s how long Toronto FC’s playoff run lasted.
In the biggest game in club history, the shell-shocked Reds were trounced 3-0 by rivals Montreal Impact on Thursday night, embarrassed in the do-or-die battle for a spot in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
Toronto’s performance was in shambles long before the final whistle, as all three goals were conceded by the 38th minute.
The first 45 minutes was possibly the Reds’ worst half all season.
“There were some really bad plays and I think the really bad plays took a toll on the team and on the game,” Toronto coach Greg Vanney said.
The Reds were confident going into the match despite a 2-1 loss here Sunday.
That, players and coaches alike philosophized, was a dress rehearsal. The knockout round was what really mattered. And there were positives to build on; Toronto dominated the first half on the weekend, even taking the lead through Jozy Altidore just before halftime.
Correct the sleepy period at the beginning of second-half that allowed Didier Drogba two easy tap-ins and it was a different game, they said. The Reds vowed to learn from those mistakes. They didn’t. Montreal did. “No excuses,” Vanney said. “That was not a good enough performance, especially in the first half.”
On this night, the Impact dominated from kickoff.
The home side employed a defensive 4-2-3-1 formation, one Toronto might have considered on the weekend when all it needed was one point to secure a home game, and had in-form goalkeeper Evan Bush to back them up on Toronto’s admittedly few counter attacks.
That set up quieted Sebastian Giovinco and Altidore early, an attack imperative to a side that conceded 58 goals during the regular season.
And it forced turnovers, feeding the likes of Ignacio Piatti, who played in Patrice Bernier with a slick touch at the top of the box 18 minutes it. The midfielder slotted home the opener.
Piatti scored Montreal’s second of the night, capitalizing on a reckless pass by centre-back Ahmed Kantari and a slip by Josh Williams.
Sunday’s hero Drogba was not to be left out, as he tapped in a goal of his own five minutes later off a cross from Bernier.
Toronto put in a better shift after the break, but it was a futile effort after digging itself a three-goal hole. Even a free kick from Giovinco couldn’t nudge the Reds back into contention; Bush cleared the ball right off the line.
In the locker room, captain Michael Bradley struggled to find answers.
He credited Montreal for playing well on a night Toronto didn’t.
The loss is part of the painful reality of a team still searching for its identity, he said.
“In a perfect world it can go quickly, smoothly, but that’s not always the case. Unfortunately a lot of the time there’s going to be these steps along the way. You have to keep going.”
The blue, black and white will face Columbus in the semi-finals, starting this weekend.
The Reds head home, still plagued by defensive woes that have followed them around through the season.
Add it to the list of lessons Toronto failed to learn.